ETL503 3.2 – How do you choose?
It is something that I have put a lot of time into thinking about. What do library suppliers need to offer and how do they become a preferred choice for the school setting? Here are some of my thoughts from this module.
- Library suppliers need to offer a wide range of resources, including both fiction and non-fiction.
- Certain suppliers would need to procure books from various publishers too, like obtaining books as part of the CBCA shortlisted books.
- It is also appealing if booksellers offer bulk or school discounts off the RRP and you can also support local businesses too.
- Ease of ordering and fast response and postage is also another key factor in acquiring books for a school library and keeping up with the demand from both students and teachers.
- Some publishers/book suppliers offer book fairs to promote their resources and gauge student and teacher interests. They have the added bonus of a kickback for the school, which leads to repeat business with them and incentives to purchase with them in the future.
- Recommendations from other TL’s in the area are another factor when determining who or where to obtain library resources.
- Often with religious schools and other schools with unique needs, there are texts that are recommended resources and may be required to purchase to use as part of the prescribed curriculum. In this case, specialist suppliers are required and as a result, are often more expensive than mainstream suppliers.
